Tuesday, January 24, 2012

[ZESTCaste] Clashes over damage to Ambedkar statues

Andhra Pradesh | Updated Jan 25, 2012 at 11:54am ISTClashes over damage to Ambedkar statuesindianexpress Express News Service , The New Indian Express

AMALAPURAM: Section 144, prohibiting assembly of more than fivepersons, has been imposed on the town for three days followingrepeated clashes between two groups over damage of the statues of BRAmbedkar in the town and its surrounding villages by some miscreantson Sunday night.Tension has gripped the town ever since the destruction of statueswhich invited widespread protests across the state.Minister J Geeta Reddy, N Raghuveera Reddy and several others took upthe issue with chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy who held a meetingwith home minister P Sabita Reddy, DGP V Dinesh Reddy and other seniorpolice officials.Additional DGP Krishna Raju will supervise the investigation to beconducted by special teams into the incident and also bandobust in thetown.The chief minister directed the officials to reinstall the statues ofDr BR Ambedkar at government's expense, while the home ministerassured that miscreants would not be spared.Amalapuram MP GV Harsha Kumar and Mala Mahandu state president KSivaji met the chief minister and the home minister separately, anddemanded a thorough probe and severe punishment to the culprits.Ramachandrapuram DSP Srinivasa Rao has been appointed as specialofficer to probe the demolition of statues at Bandavaripeta,Bodasakurru, Chindada Garuva, Rollapalem and Nallavantena.Additional police forces were rushed from Krishna and West Godavaridistricts to vulnerable areas in East Godavari district to prevent anyuntoward incidents.Protesters came out in large numbers onto the roads demanding that thegovernment identify the miscreants and punish them immediately.Traffic was stalled for hours together on National Highway-214 and atNallavantena, Erravantena, Idarapalli, Clock Tower and Y-Junction.Later, the agitators demanded that traders close their shops.Their demand led to heated arguments between traders and agitators.Even before the police could reach the spot, groups of two communitiespelted each other with stones and indulged in violence forcing thetraders to shut their shops.People of both the communities are staging a dharna at the Clock TowerCentre in Amalapuram and have refused to leave as advised by thepolice.East Godavari superintendent of police C Trivikrama Varma rushed toAmalapuram and reviewed the situation.Deputy inspector-general of police (Eluru range) G Suryaprakasa Rao isalso camping in the town.Speaking to Express, Amalapuram deputy superintendent of policeSridhar said members of the two groups positioned themselves 100metres apart in a surcharged atmosphere but have refrained fromattacking each other